15 Genius Back To School Tips for Moms No One Ever Told You About

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As a mom, the back to school season can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. You want your kids to have the best year possible, but sometimes it just gets too hectic and overwhelming.

But don’t worry – I’ve got you covered. Check out these 15 genius back to school tips that no one ever told you about.

How to Make It Easier For Your Kids to Go Back To School

Getting back into the rhythm of school can be tough for kids – and moms. There are early mornings, homework and after-school activities to juggle.

And it only seems harder the more kids you have at home to manage. To make the back to school transition easier for everyone, organization, routine and planning will become your saving grace.

These 15 back to school hacks for moms will help you and your family transition into this new school year smoothly!

1. Make a DIY Dry Erase Morning Routine Checklist With a Picture Frame

One way to help your kids get out the door quickly and efficiently is by making a DIY morning routine checklist that they can follow and check off themselves.

Simply make a checklist, print it out, and add it into a cheap picture frame like these ones. Place the frame somewhere convenient, like their bathroom or near their breakfast spot.

As they complete each task, they can check it off the list. This will help be independent and them know exactly what needs to be done so they can get out the door on time – with everything they need!

2. Use Labeled Hangers or a Closet Organizer to Plan all Outfits for the Week

This is a great back to school hack for moms for any mom who wants to save time in the morning.

Planning all outfits for the week ahead of time will eliminate the “what should I wear today” question and help your kids get dressed quickly. This also helps avoid the old “every pair of pants is dirty” situation.

Label hangers with washi tape, Monday through Friday, and then hang according to outfits. Or, my favorite option, is to buy one of these weekly closet organizers for each outfit.

At the beginning of the week, you and your child can lay out all their school outfits for the week together and organize them in their closet so they know exactly what to wear each day. This allows them to be more independent and gives you one less thing to worry in the morning about as a mom.

3.  Use The PhotoMath App to Check Your Kid’s Math Homework

When did 3rd grade math get so hard? If your child is struggling with their math homework, help them out by downloading the PhotoMath app.

This app will solve any hand-written math equation by simply taking a picture of it. This is an awesome way for you to double check their work and make sure they are on the right track – without having to do the problem yourself!

It’s sure to be a homework life saver! Download the app here.

4. Freeze Lunch Sandwiches in Advance and Prep Snacks

Making lunch every day can be time-consuming – especially if you have multiple kids.

A great way to save time is by making a bunch of sandwiches on the weekend and freezing them. Simply pull out a sandwich in the morning, and it will be thawed and ready to eat by lunchtime!

Also preparing the lunch sides like chips and fruit and storing them in ziplock bags for the week will allow you to simply grab and go each item for lunches saving you tons of time.

5. Make a DIY After School Routine Clock

Establish an after school routine that works for your family. It may look something like this:

• Free Play time from 4-5pm
• Homework from 5-6pm
• Dinner from 6-7pm
• Clean up & Prep for Next Day from 7-8pm
• Reading and Bedtime Routine from 8-8:30pm

Then get a cheap analog clock like this one, and use an expo marker to color in time blocks that represent each activity.

Hang it in a convenient place, like the kitchen, so your kids can see what needs to be done after school each day. They’ll know that when the short hand is in the yellow section, it’s time for homework. If it’s in the purple, it’s time for bed, etc.

This will help them get into a routine and avoid any power struggles about what comes next after school!

6. Set Up an Inbox/Outbox System for School Papers

If you’re anything like me, school papers tend to pile up and you’re not sure what to do with them.

A great way to organize and keep track of school papers is to set up an inbox/outbox system. Simply designate a place for all incoming school papers (inbox) and a place for outgoing school papers (outbox).

Every day when your child comes home from school, have them empty their backpack and place all papers in the inbox.

Then, each night or once a week, go through the inbox together and decide what to do with each paper. File away anything you need to keep, throw away anything you don’t need, and put anything that needs to be sent back to school in the outbox.

This inbox/outbox system will help you stay on top of school papers and avoid the dreaded pileup!

7. Make a DIY Homework Lazy Susan

Make a homework supplies lazy susan so your kids have the perfect homework station. This is where your child can go to do their homework each day after school.

This way they are not doing their homework on the couch where there are distractions, and they have everything they need for homework all in one place.

A homework station should be stocked with all the necessary supplies like pencils, paper, a stapler, etc. This way when it’s time to do homework, they can just sit down and get to work without having to go search for supplies.

Simply get a lazy susan, all your supplies, and 5-7 jars or cans. You can decorate the cans or jars then hot glue them to the top of the lazy susan. Fill them with your supplies and then place the homework turn table in a central location like the kitchen table.

8. Paint the Inside of Your Child’s Lunch Box with Chalk Paint for Daily Lunch Notes

This is a great way to make your child’s lunch box feel special and let them know you are thinking about them during the day. Simply paint the inside of their lunch box with chalkboard paint then use chalk to write a cute note each day.

Your child will love finding a little message from you in their lunch! Here are 200 lunch box note ideas to add in your child’s lunch!

9. Have a Designated Library Book Basket

Library books can easily get lost or left at school. Designating a place to store all library books will help ensure they make it back to the library on time and don’t get lost!

A great way to do this is to have a designated library book basket. each week when your child comes home with their new library books, have them put them in the basket. Then, when it’s time to take the books back to the library, they can grab them all from the basket and return them!

10. Use a Hanging Shoe Organizer for Lunch Box Notes, Money, or After School Snacks

Hanging shoe organizers are great for so many things! You can use them in the entryway to store shoes, in the closet to store clothes, or in the kitchen to organize spices.

They are also great for organizing school lunches! You can use the pockets to store lunch box notes, money for lunch, or premade after school snacks so your kids can just grab and go.

Hang one on the back of your pantry door in your kitchen and have all your lunch or afternoon snack essentials easy to access when you need them.

11. Use DIY Sponge Ice Packs To Keep Lunches Cool

Sponge ice packs are a great way to keep lunches cool without using a lot of space. Simply soak sponges in water, put them into a ziplock bag, then place them in the freezer overnight.

In the morning, put the frozen sponge ice packs in your child’s lunch box and they will help keep their food cold all day long! As the ice melts the sponge reabsorbs the water keeping it safely inside and ready to refreeze.

12. Use Silicone Muffin Cup for Lunch Box Organization

Silicone muffin cups are great for lunch box organization! You can use them to portion out snacks, store leftovers, or pack mini-meals. Keeping all the food inside from being tossed around. Plus, they are easy to clean and reusable which makes them environmentally friendly.

13. Make a School Command Center in Your Home

A school command center is a great way to keep all your child’s school items organized and in one place. This can help reduce the morning rush because you won’t have to search for things when you need them.

Set up a designated spot in your home where you will keep all things related to school. This might be a spot in the Mudroom, entryway, or kitchen.

Then, add a whiteboard or calendar to help with planning and organization. Add hooks for backpacks, cubbies or baskets for school papers, and a place to store lunch boxes.

14. Set Up an Alexa Smart Home Routine to Make The Morning Run Smoothly

If you have an Amazon Echo or Dot, you can set up a morning routine with Alexa to help make the morning run smoothly.

With just one simple voice command, Alexa can turn on lights, start the coffee pot, and play your child’s favorite song to get them pumped up for the day.

To set up an Alexa morning routine, open the Alexa app on your smartphone and click on the Routines tab. Then, click on the + icon to add a new routine.

15. Use a Dry Erase Pocket to Make Chore Charts for After School Chores

Simply slide in a chore chart page into the dry erase pocket and write on that afternoon’s chores for each child. As each task is completed, they can erase it and move on to the next.

This is a great way to help kids stay on track with their chores and avoid arguments about who has to do what. Plus, it’s especially helpful if you don’t have set daily chores for your children. Since you write them on each day, the chores can also change daily.

And it’s a fun way for them to see their progress as they go! If you still have young children, you can use the dry erase pocket to make a velcro chore chart with job pictures too! See the tutorial here!

Conclusion

With these 15 genius back to school hacks, you’ll be able to breeze through the mornings and afternoons with ease. From making school lunches ahead of time to setting up a routine for the morning, these tips will help you stay organized and stress-free all school year long!

Do you have any life changing back to school hacks? Share them in the comments below!

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